wtf_man wrote on Apr 5, 2013, 09:01:Definitely going PS4,unless they pull the some similar shit... Then I may just go with an HTPC to replace my smart blu-ray player.

HTPCs are a bit weird. Just be aware of the deficiencies with official content sources before you spend money. Getting everything going properly can be a bit of a pain if you aren't bringing your own content. Trying to get Amazon streaming, Netflix and Hulu to all co-operate isn't fun even on Windows where drivers are abundant, let alone adding PVR stuff and BD into the mix.

Yeah, that's why I'm hoping the PS4 will be the simple answer... and a few games wouldn't be bad either.

But, at the same time, I'm never in it. Ever. I'm at the point where I wonder why I don't switch the system back to go right to the game at boot.

I play tons of games.I no longer do Netflix, but instead do Amazon. On the PS3, even though I'm pretty sure it looks better on the 360 (I may switch, I really do think it looks way better on the 360)I do YouTube on the PS3I never look for new games via XBLA

I wonder if my lack of usage of the dashboard is tied to any issue with it. Truthfully, I like the design and the ads mean nothing to me because I don't even see them even when I'm in the dashboard. I move right by them. All they do is slow the load of the system (which is an issue, but not one that prevents me from using the dashboard.) I bought the PS3 a year ago, and started using it as my primary video device because a) gotta use it for something b) it had YouTube, and Xbox didn't.

So, my change in habits plus a new device are part of the reason why I don't use the dashboard. Possibly the dashboard itself is, but my only real issue with it over older ones is how slowly it loads, and that slows the system at start and has no issue post-load.

nin wrote on Apr 4, 2013, 23:15:I really enjoyed my 360 up until until the last dashboard redesign/ad blitz. I can't see going along with this...

I've read that line a million and one times over a thousand and one updates to the dashboard. There were people that couldn't stomach it several years ago now. I just like how people have clung to that at some point... "Was fun until that dashboard update....".

To the point, I don't think one can do it without the other doing it. If MS did, it will be short lived once they see their sales #'s aren't being hit.

wtf_man wrote on Apr 5, 2013, 09:01:Definitely going PS4,unless they pull the some similar shit... Then I may just go with an HTPC to replace my smart blu-ray player.

HTPCs are a bit weird. Just be aware of the deficiencies with official content sources before you spend money. Getting everything going properly can be a bit of a pain if you aren't bringing your own content. Trying to get Amazon streaming, Netflix and Hulu to all co-operate isn't fun even on Windows where drivers are abundant, let alone adding PVR stuff and BD into the mix.

If you just roll your own MKVs from the 'scene' then HTPCs are amazing though.

Anyways yeah, no way to Microsoft this gen, not even if they gave me 20 JRPGs I'm going to be strongly encouraging friends and family to avoid it too, I suggest everyone else does the same. Many people take their cues on tech stuff from people like us, use that folks.

jdreyer wrote on Apr 5, 2013, 07:48:There is no way MS is this stupid.

Oh I disagree, there is every indication Microsoft could be exactly this stupid

Decades of arrogance, GFWL, Windows phone bombing (again), bumbling brand efforts and their latest attempt to bludgeon Windows 8 into the collective through product placement on every single TV show, the list goes on.

They think they have a stranglehold on the gaming market with Xbox Live and do whatever they want with no consequence. I hope gamers wise up to this.

GFWL is dead, they've given up on it, so you'd hope they learned.Windows Phone isn't a bad product. It isn't bombing due to some bad decisions or arrogance. It's bombing because of timing and being made by Microsoft. So, again, you'd think they learned something from it.

jdreyer wrote on Apr 5, 2013, 07:48:There is no way MS is this stupid.

Oh I disagree, there is every indication Microsoft could be exactly this stupid

Decades of arrogance, GFWL, Windows phone bombing (again), bumbling brand efforts and their latest attempt to bludgeon Windows 8 into the collective through product placement on every single TV show, the list goes on.

They think they have a stranglehold on the gaming market with Xbox Live and do whatever they want with no consequence. I hope gamers wise up to this.

This helps reinforce my decision to go PS4 only this generation. Good work Microsoft! Whoever's making the decisions there like Windows 8, the office 'ribbon', and XBox720 is doing a great job running them into the ground.

I hope both the new Xbox and the new PS suffer horrible failures and cause tremendous grief to their users and parent companies respectively. It wont change anything (as seen with the RROD, remember those??) but at least it feels good

I think it reflects the reality of the console gaming marketplace. There is little to no growth in that segment, largely due to competition from mobile and other devices. You're also seeing a decent increase in indie titles across the board, which traditionally push away from exclusives and attached IP. That combination means that you want to grab a larger market share and hold on to it while getting more money per user - essentially, specializing a little bit. That is what happens in any industry once it becomes saturated and technology progresses beyond its initial role.

A good comparison would be land lines versus cellular service. If you've seen a land line bill lately, you probably know what I mean: it's usually $70-80 for basic features. The profit margin on it is huge (infrastructure is already in place). Yet there is an entrenched user base which, while dwindling, is willing to pay more to still have what they consider an essential service. This is because the phone companies want to push you towards mobile, and likewise the console companies want to exit the market (take a look at the Xbox division sale rumors for an example).

It is of course still early in the game for talk like that, but it's not unreasonable to suggest that this might be the last true generation of consoles unless some huge changes are made. Yet it's clear that Sony and Microsoft are both tired of the game. It's likely you will have a monopoly on your hands, with realistic competition existing (to carry the analogy further) like magicJack (Ouya might be an example of such a contender). Simply put, the current strategy is an exit strategy, not one of growth, so of course they're going to tie down the user base. They want you hooked on the services, not the games.